Monday, May 25, 2009

One of their earliest foes used television as part of a disturbing attempt to manipulate the children of Earth. Using his muppet-like appearance to his advantage, the extraterrestrial named Xemnu was a hit on a Saturday morning kids' show (seen in Marvel Feature #3).

Through his popularity and mind-control abilities, the furry giant intended to lure hoards of children to a hijacked rocket, then use them to repopulate his planet. Beneath the surface of this offbeat tale was a serious message about the threat of child abduction.

Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, and the Hulk thwarted the plot. Although Xemnu's hypnotic powers could influence both children and adults, the Hulk's altered intellect was resistant. Xemnu returned in Defenders #12 and appeared briefly in #100.

Before Bruce Banner ever overdosed on gamma rays, the monstrous Xemnu was billed as the "Hulk" in Journey into Mystery #62 (November 1960) and #66 (March 1961). To avoid confusion, the giant extraterrestrial later became "Xemnu the Titan."